Lazio's challenge for the Serie A title has been dealt a blow with a 2-0 defeat to Fiorentina in Florence.

The Roman side had the game's first chance and it came in the fourth minute when Antonio Candreva shot at the Viola goal from outside the box but failed to keep it on target.

Seven minutes later Alvaro Gonzalez's header from a Senad Lulic cross went over the crossbar.

However, Fiorentina soon began to come into the match, as Borja Valero forced Albano Bizarri into making a save on 17 minutes.

Minutes later Bizarri was called into action by a Manuel Pasqual effort from outside his penalty area.

The hosts were then gifted a great chance to take the lead at Stadio Artemio Franchi, when Abdoulay Konko conceded a penalty by bringing down Pasqual inside the Lazio box.

However, Matias Fernandez failed to convert the spot kick, shooting against the post.

Fiorentina, though, did break the deadlock and the goal came on the stroke of half-time, Adem Ljajic firing in from outside the area.

Ljajic almost doubled the Florence outfit's advantage at the start of the second half, but his shot was saved by Bizarri.

The Serbian forward had another effort saved a couple of minutes later, before Candreva saw his header from a Miroslav Klose cross turned away by Emiliano Viviano.

Klose himself tried his luck with a close-range shot but could not keep it on target.

Stevan Jovetic then came close to doubling Fiorentina's advantage in the 56th minute with a shot from outside the box, before Luca Toni ballooned his attempt high over the crossbar on 72 minutes.

Three minutes later things went from bad to worse for Lazio, as they went to reduced to 10 men after Cristian Ledesma was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Lazio finished the game with just nine men on the pitch, as playmaker Hernanes was dismissed with just eight minutes left on the clock for a rash challenge.

The two-man advantage helped Fiorentina score their second goal of the afternoon in the final minute of normal time, as Toni shot home Alberto Aquilani's cross from close range.